Department of History

Course Descriptions

1000 Making History3 credit hours

Through examining a small number of historical events in depth, students will be introduced to the techniques required to practice history. They will have the opportunity to ‘make history’ by applying their skills in research, analytical thinking and writing to produce their own interpretations of select events.

1201 Civilization in the West6 credit hours

This course is designed to explore the origins and development of the characteristic political, legal, and cultural institutions of Western Civilization and their impact on other cultures.

1203 The Twentieth Century in Europe6 credit hours

Students examine the major themes of the history of the twentieth century as they played out in Eruope. Emphasis will be placed on the First and Second World Wars I, the Nazi regime and the Holocaust, the Cold War Decolonization and the effects of these events on the lives of ordinary people.

1208 Global History: 1450 to the Present6 credit hours

The integrated nature of the modern world is taken for granted. How did we arrive at this point? Global history provides a context for understanding this development as we move into the 21st century. This course will examine the initial links developed between the world’s civilizations during the 15th century and will trace factors which led to contemporary global interaction and interdependence.

The course is a general introduction to Ireland through a survey of the island’s history. Although it is situated on the fringes of Europe, Ireland was influenced by developments on the continent from the earliest times. In addition, the later experience of overseas migration connected Ireland to developments across the Atlantic and beyond. This course will pay particular attention to how Ireland’s history reflects these broader European and transatlantic connections.

1222 Introduction to East Asian History3 credit hours

This introductory course explores historical change and social transformation in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam from antiquity to the present. Emphasizing especially the Chinese and Japanese experiences, the class will examine some of the more salient social, intellectual, political, and economic features apparent in the heritage of these societies as well as some of the ways each society has influenced the others.

1252 Canada to Confederation3 credit hours

This course will examine early Canadian history from the time of the first native-European contact up to Confederation. Emphasis will be placed on the development of New France/Lower Canada, Upper Canada, and the West. Political, social, and economic themes will be considered.

1253 Canada: Confederation to the Present3 credit hours

This course will examine the shape of political culture in modern Canada; the debate between the advocates of the nation state and of federalism; and the impact of industrialization, regionalism, war, and depression on that debate.

1255 The United States since 18653 credit hoursStudents examine the history of the United States since the Civil War, examing social, economic, political and transnational developments of the last century and a half. Through lectures, reading, and discussion, students consider themes such as political economy, international relations, urbanization, social movements, migration, race, gender and state developments.

1260 History of the Americas3 credit hours

This is an introductory survey of the history of the Americas, focusing on the era of European colonization and subsequent independence movements. This course is designed to help students understand the different historical experiences of the societies of this region and the ramifications of these differences for the present time.

1301 Introduction to the History of Science and Technology3 credit hours

Students follow the evolution of scientific inquiry and methodology from antiquity to modernity. Students examines the major developments in the history of science and technology, including the emergence of science in antiquity, medieval science, the Scientific Revolution, the expansion of science in the modern world, the relation between science and society, and the cultural significance of science and technology.

2201 Environmental History of Europe, 1300 - 19003 credit hours

From farming practices in the medieval period to the smog and blackened landscapes of the industrial nineteenth century, Europeans have had an impact on their environment. Students explore the changes and how European encounters with the new world brought disease, and an exchange of foods, animals and plants between the continents. This course provides a long-term perspective on changes in climate, water and land use, breeding as well as species extinction, and the foods available in Europe and its North American coloniesfrom 1300-1900.

2250 Soccer: A History of Brazil3 credit hours

Students will trace the historical forces behind the evolution of soccer in Brazil – from an elite sport to a national passion with unifying powers. Topics include: the transition to a slave free society, immigration, the development of a national identity, urbanization, the military dictatorship, as well as gender divisions and the role of the media and economics behind the popularity of the sport.

2303 Tudor and Stuart Britain6 credit hours

This lecture and seminar course provides a broad survey of the social, economic, cultural and political histories of Britain between 1485 and 1714, with a focus on original sources and images and how historians interpret them. It will examine how this small island nation on the fringes of Europe began its transformation into a dominant world power, while experiencing religious reformation, invasion threats, civil war, republican experiment, and the execution of one king and the forced exile of another. It will also examine some of the remarkable personalities of the age, from Mary Tudor and Queen Elizabeth to Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, and Isaac Newton.

An examination of the activities of the colonial powers in governing the territories and peoples which they acquired in the ‘Scramble’. The course will also study the reactions of Africans to colonialism and the factors which led to independence.

2318 The United States and the World since 18656 credit hours

This course traces the interaction between the United States and the rest of the world in order to understand how the US has risen to a position of unparalleled might. It focuses on structures of dominance based on gender, race, and class in order to ascertain how the world has been influenced by the US and how its projection of power has shaped the United States domestically. It pays attention to the policies of Presidents and Secretaries of State, themes of oppression, liberation, migration, consumption, globalization, and forms of popular culture (especially film) which represent and construct the transnational trajectories of US power.

2319 Canadian-American Relations6 credit hours

This course will examine basic developments in Canadian-American relations. Political as well as social, economic and religious trends will be analyzed. Some opportunity will be afforded students to use the vast quantity of primary source material at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia.

The period examined in this course is not only associated with the creation of the British state, but also its rise, by the middle of the 19th century, to the leading world power. Yet recent literature has demonstrated that this development was accompanied by profound social and economic transformations that were highly contested. In order to appreciate the nature of these struggles, this course will cover such diverse topics as the impact of overseas expansion, warfare, agricultural and industrial change, migration, political radicalism, and 19th-century Victorian morality.

Commencing with the earliest Native-European contact in the Atlantic Provinces, students in this course will examine the interactions among the peoples who inhabited the region up until the mid-nineteenth century. Major events, such as wars, treaties, and Confederation will also be considered.

Beginning with the post-Confederation era, and then moving into the phases of industrialization and deindustrialization, students will study social, economic, and political developments in the region up to the end of the twentieth century and beyond. Major events such as the two World Wars will also be considered.

2346 Black Heritage in Maritime Canada3 credit hours

This course will provide an historical survey of the Black population in Maritime Canada, its origins, socio-economic conditions, and evolution to the present.

2354 Japan before 18003 credit hours

After a brief survey of prehistoric Japan, this course explores two formative eras in Japanese history: the era of courtly (or aristocratic) society and the era of the samurai (warriors). Although the course proceeds chronologically, in order to provide students with a more analytical understanding the course employs a thematic approach, considering political, economic, intellectual, and social issues in each era. No previous study of Japan is required.

2355 Late Tokugawa and Imperial Japan: 1800-19453 credit hours

After a brief survey of the Tokugawa Shogunate, emphasizing those features of society most pertinent to the ensuing era, this course examines the recreation of Japanese society between the Meiji Restoration and the Pacific War. While chronological, in order to provide students with a more analytical understanding of the era the course follows a thematic approach,considering political, economic,intellectual, and social issues. No previous study of Japan is required, although either HIST 1222 or 2354 are recommended.

2356 Japan since 19453 credit hours

Students examine the history of Japanese society after the Pacific War, with occasional reference to earlier eras. Through a thematic approach, exploring political, economic, intellectual, and social issues students may gain a more analytical understanding of contemporary Japanese society. No previous study of Japan is required, although either HIST 1222 or 2355 are recommended.

2381 China before 18003 credit hours

This course explores roughly four millennia of Chinese history, from the distant origins of Chinese society to its zenith during the Qing Dynasty. Divided into three eras - Ancient, Early Imperial, and Late Imperial - the class follows a thematic approach that considers the dynamics of political, economic, intellectual, and social change within each era. No previous study of China is required.

2382 China in Revolution: 1800-19493 credit hours

This course explores the collapse of imperial China and the ensuing efforts to renew Chinese society. While chronological, the course follows a thematic approach, considering the dynamics of political, economic,

intellectual, and social change within the Late Imperial and Republican eras. No previous study of China is required, but HIST 1222 or 2381 are recommended.

2383 China Since 19493 credit hours

This course explores Chinese since the founding of the People’s Republic. The course follows a thematic approach examining the dynamics of political, economic, intellectual, and social change so as to provide students with amore analytical understanding of contemporary China. No previous study of China is required, but HIST 1222 or 2382 are recommended.

2393 History of Vietnam3 credit hours

After surveying the emergence of Vietnamese civilization from antiquity, students will explore Vietnam’s history since the founding of the Nguyen Dynasty. These roughly two centuries fall into four eras—dynastic, colonial, Cold War, and independent socialist republic—in which political, economic, intellectual, and social issues are addressed. No previous study of Vietnam is required.

2394 History of Korea3 credit hours

After a brief survey of the rise of Korean civilization since antiquity, this course examines three turbulent eras in Korean history: (1) the long era of gradual change during the Yi dynasty that culminated in confrontation with imperialist powers, (2) the half-century of Japanese domination, and (3) the era of civil war and continuing division. Although the course proceeds chronologically, in order to provide students with a more analytical understanding the course employs a thematic approach, considering political, economic, intellectual, and social issues in each era.

2397 The Lingering Death of Imperial Britain, 1870-19823 credit hours

Since the late nineteenth century, many Britons have been preoccupied with notions of imperial, economic, and social decline. This course will test the validity of these perceptions by surveying important changes which have affected British society from the height of British imperial power to the Falklands War. Some topics to be explored are: “new imperialism”, the women’s suffrage movement, decolonization, deindustrialization, mass unemployment, Labour socialism, Thatcherism, the impact of two world wars, and the rise of Celtic (Irish, Scottish, and Welsh) nationalisms.

2401 Canadian Political History3 credit hours

This course is an analysis of the development of Canadian politics and public policy from confederation to the Chretien years. While the main focus is federal politics, developments at the provincial level will be analyzed through a number of case studies. Public policy initiatives including social welfare programs, bilingualism and multiculturalism will also be analyzed.

2402 History of Cuba3 credit hours

Students will gain a multifaceted and nuanced view of Cuba's complex past, examining how this history has shaped and continues to shape the present. Themes include gender and race relations, social policies and programs, governance and politics, state-building and economic development.

2403 History of Canadian Culture(s)3 credit hours

This course is an examination of Canadian culture from the late 19th century to the present. It will involve the study of novels, magazines, music, art, film radio, television. Emphasis will be placed on the government's attempts to foster a pan-Canadian culture and the challenges of doing so in a country of regions each with its own distinct cultures.

2420 The World at War, 1914-19183 credit hours

Students are introduced to the First World War and its significance in the history of the twentieth century. Themes include the causes of the conflict, the war aims and strategies of the belligerent powers, the character of various military operations and the war’s impact on civilian populations.

2421 The World at War, 1939 – 19453 credit hours

Students are introduced to the Second World War and its importance in global history. Themes include: the war’s roots in the 1920s and 1930s, the goals of Axis and Allied powers, and military operations on land, at sea, and in the air. Special attention will be paid to the war’s impact on civilians.

2440 Revolutions in Latin America3 credit hours

Students examine some of the major revolutions that have taken place in 20th-Century Latin America. Students explore the background, participants, reasons and consequences of these revolutions.

2451 Greek History I: From Minos to the Medes [CLAS 2451]3 credit hours

2452 Greek History II: The Golden Age of Greece [CLAS 2452]3 credit hours

The subject matter of particular three (3) credit hour courses will be announced from time to time. They will cover aspects of history in one or more of the major geographical areas of North America, Europe, Africa and Asia. The topics to be examined will be determined by the instructor.

3000 The Discipline of History3 credit hours

This course addresses the nature of historical study, that is, the theories, methods, principles and problems associated with the discipline of history. It examines the following basic areas of historical inquiry: the purposes of historical study; the relevance of the past; the relationship between the past and present; the nature and validity of historical knowledge; the relationship of history to other disciplines; and the current state of historical interpretation.

3100History of Gender, Feminism and Sexuality in Canada3 credit hours

This course offers a survey of the historical experiences, status and activities of Canadian women in all their diversity from 1900 to the present. Topics will include women’s economically valuable work in the household and the paid labour force, and family life and sexuality. Special emphasis will be placed on women’s struggles for economic equality and full political and social participation in Canadian society

3110 Women in the Two World Wars3 credit hours

Students examine women’s experiences during the First and Second World Wars. During both conflicts, women fought as soldiers and spies, worked in industry and support services, tended to the wounded and served as symbols of home and family. Women were also targets of unprecedented violence.

3203 History of the Body, Health and Sexualities, 1400-19003 credit hours

Students surveys the changing knowledge of human anatomy, attitudes to health care, hygiene, and clothing, understandings of conception, pregnancy and childbirth as well as the histories of sexuality and same-sex relationships in the centuries from the Renaissance to the early industrial era.

3300 Popular Music & Culture in Britain since 18503 credit hours

Students explore popular culture in Britain during the 19th and 20th centuries through the study of British popular music – emphasizing the youth culture that emerged after World War II. American and Imperial cultural influences are examined through groups and movements such as the Beatles, Punk, and Reggae.

3301 Crime and Punishment in England Before 18003 credit hours

This course is a survey of the history of crime and punishment in England in an age before professional police forces and standing armies. Students trace the evolution of criminal courts, the role of juries and the shift from physical punishments to imprisonment and transportation. Other topics include medieval ordeals, dueling, riots and popular protest.

3302 The Atlantic World, 1450-18503 credit hours

The Atlantic World was the centre of the "first global imperial age." Social, political and cultural interactions transformed the many societies living on the Atlantic Rim. These transformations affected the intellectual, cultural and economic patterns of those on the Atlantic coastlines, but also the rest of the world in the 19th and 20th centuries.

3303 Law and Society in Britain 1500-18003 credit hours

The law was an essential constituent of pre-modern English society, shaping everything from inter personal relations to the nature of government. Students examine the institutions and culture of law from the end of the medieval period to the dawn of the modern age, excluding crime and criminal law. Topics include law courts and litigation, church law and the policing of morality, community justice, law and literature, defamation, censorship and state formation.

3351 Capitalism in the United States3 credit hours

Students proceed thematically in order to highlight how class is made and remade, and with what effects. Themes such as transnational capital, citizenship, labour movements, culture, gender, and imperialism are examined.

3352 Race and Racism in the United States3 credit hours

The racial roots of US history are traced in order to explore the importance of struggles for racial justice as well as changes and continuities in forms of racial oppression.

3371 The Chinese Cultural Revolution in History and Memory3 credit hours

Students explore the origins, dynamics and legacies of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) which has been commonly viewed as the darkest era in the history of the People’s Republic of China.

Selected African, Asian, and Latin American societies will be examined especially with regard to the impact of European expansion and conquest on what is now called the Developing World. Various economic, political, and social themes will be studied to provide a context for understanding the forces and events which led to the rise of the ‘global village’ of the 1990s.

3403 The Invention of Canada3 credit hours

Canada has been imagined in a number of ways throughout its history: as a storehouse of staples commodities, a raucous frontier society, a mature colony that evolved peacefully into nationhood, as a bicultural and/or multicultural society, a land of regions, a cultural appendage of the United States, and as a peacemaking middle power. How have these images been created, and whose interests did they serve? To what extent have these popular representations incorporated an appreciation of class, ethnic, gender, and racial differences? This course will look at the invention of national images from the 17th to the 20th century, using anthropological, architectural, literary, artistic, and cultural sources.

3405 Society and Culture in Early Modern Europe3 credit hours

This course investigates the people, culture, and regions of Europe (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Holland) from the Renaissance to the late 17th century. Through topics such as witchcraft and literacy, students explore a variety of primary sources including painting, architecture, woodcuts, popular ballads, and literature.

3406 The Renaissance in Europe3 credit hours

Students will trace the developments of European ideas, art and culture in the Renaissance through the visual images of artists such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Albrecht Durer or Holbein as well as writers such as Machiavelli, Erasmus, Marguerite de Navarre or Montaigne.

3416 Love and Family in China3 credit hours

Students explore how Chinese private life has intersected with the public arena from the late 19th century to the present. Key topics include affection and bonding, changing perceptions of masculinity and femininity, marriage choices and social networking, the impact of the “one- child” policy, and re-interpretations of gender roles and family life before and after the Cultural Revolution and the economic reforms since the 1980s.

3417 War and Memory in the Twentieth Century3 credit hours

This course will explore the experience of modern war and the ways in which various twentieth-century conflicts have been remembered socially and culturally. The topics covered include the First and Second World Wars, the Holocaust, the Algerian War, the Vietnam War, and the Balkan Wars. The focus of our study of these events will be on their impact on the values, attitudes and collective memory of European and North American societies.

3420 History of Sport and Leisure in the Modern World3 credit hours

This course looks at the development of sport in the modern world, its increasing specialization and bureaucratization, its commercialization, its ritualistic character, and its connection to issues of race, gender, ethnicity, and class. Although the focus is international, the course will draw heavily on Canadian, American, and British examples.

This course will examine a range of topics that have been the focus of debate in Irish History. The issues to be explored will be selected by the instructor and may include such topics as: the history of the Irish Plantations, the affects of the Penal Laws, the consequences of the 1798 Rebellion, the rise of Irish Nationalism, the causes of the Great Famine, the consequences of mass Irish Emigration, the position of women in Irish society, and the significance of the Easter Rising. In addition to providing an understanding of some of the major issues in Modern Irish History, the course will also provide an overview of historical change in Ireland from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries.

3465 Scotland’s Histories3 credit hours

This course examines Scottish historiography in order to illustrate the development of Scotland’s competing identities from the early modern period to the present. Tensions along regional, ethnic, gender and class lines will be highlighted. Contemporary associations such as: Golf, whisky, Mary Queen of Scots, sober Presbyterians, the Highland Clearances, Glasgow’s football rivalry, and Trade Union radicals will be discussed.

The term the “Black Atlantic” has been used to describe the interconnected nature of Black communities in the Atlantic world. This course examines the British dimension of that transatlantic experience. Among topics covered are: Britain’s involvement in African slavery, the migration of Black Loyalists to Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone, and the nature of the Black community in the United Kingdom.

3475 Indigenous and Settler Histories3 credit hours

Relations between indigenous peoples and settler societies have been problematic wherever European colonization has taken place. Students will study how these relationships have evolved over time with a view to developing a historical understanding of contemporary issues.

3480 Afro-Brazilian History3 credit hours

This course analyses Brazil’s role in the Atlantic World from the sixteenth to the twentieth centuries, focusing on socioeconomic and political issues related to Afro-Brazilian History. Topics include the colonial economy, slavery, the movement for independence and its failure to bring about change, the consequences of colonialism, as well as the impact of industrialization, urbanization, and immigration on the social conditions of Afro-Brazilians.

3826 – 3849 Special Topics in History3 credit hours

The subject matter of these courses will be announced from time to time. They will focus on particular historical themes and/or specific chronological periods. The topics to be examined will be determined by the course instructor.

3876 – 3899 Directed Study in History3 credit hours

4000-level courses are designed for the advanced study of history. Students should have extensive university experience before they attempt these courses.

4200 Women’s Rights in Britain 1500-19253 credit hours

The rights and obligations of women in a society are often central to their status, economic power and life experience. Students examine changes in women’s legal rights, entitlements and duties in England and (to a lesser extent) Wales and Scotland over the course of more than four centuries. Topics include property rights, inheritance practices, domestic violence, the gap between legal theory and social practice, the differing experiences of single, married and widowed women, female citizenship and nationality, and women suffrage.

4401 Crime in Canada3 credit hours

In this examination of Canadian criminal justice history, subjects include: the changing definition of crime as understood by local communities and the state, law enforcement, the trial process, punishment, moral regulation and the role of gender, race, and ethnicity in shaping the development and operation of the justice system.

4431 Global History since World War II3 credit hours

The historical development of American urban space after World War II is examined. Key themes include culture, suburbanization and neoliberalism.

4453 The American City Since 19453 credit hours

The historical development of American urban space after World War II is examined. Key themes include culture, suburbanization and neoliberalism.

4470 Black History in the Maritimes3 credit hours

Students will chronologically and thematically examine the over 400 years of the Black presence in Maritime Canada. Themes to be explored are diaspora, enslavement, settlement, education, religion, discrimination and racism.

4500 The Honours Seminar6 credit hoursPrerequisite: admission to the final year of the honours program.

As part of this seminar, history honours students are required to submit and defend a substantial essay to be selected and prepared in conjunction with a faculty advisor.

4501 Public History6 credit hoursPrerequisite: Students are required to have completed 24 credit hours in History with an average of 3.3, or obtain permission from the instructor.

This course introduces students both to the field of public history and to the application of history and historical methods in a variety of workplace settings. Public history, which involves the practices and presentation of history outside academia, involves a wide range of practioners including historians, museum curators, film makers, researchers, journalists, and archivists. This course will examine the evolution of public history as a discipline since the 1960s and focus on the presentation of history in various films, exhibits and historic sites. The course content will be primarily Canadian and American examining questions about ethics, standards and audience.

The course will have both a classroom and workplace component. Seminar three hours per week plus successful completion of eight hours weekly of mentored volunteer work in a public history work setting.

4508 Seminar in Intellectual and Cultural History3 credit hours

This interdisciplinary seminar will adopt a thematic approach in order to explore ideas in history across borders, cultures and centuries. Topics for exploration may include the media, the law, liberty, the family, gender and/or sexuality.

4519 Seminar in Modern European History6 credit hours

A seminar on selected topics in the history of modern Europe, 1800 to present, intended for history majors and honours students. Topics to be examined will be selected by the instructor; students will be required to research and write a major paper on the topic selected, and present it to the seminar for discussion and criticism.

4520 Nazi Germany, Occupied Europe and the Holocaust6 credit hours

In this course students will study some of the major historical and historiographical issues and debates concerning Nazi Germany, the Nazi Occupation of Europe, and the Holocaust.

4527 Biography and History3 credit hours

This course will examine the relationship between biography and history, beginning with consideration of how far the essentials of historical methodology can be followed in biographical study. A variety of forms of biography will then be examined, including private and public approaches to biography, autobiography, and popular biography. Specific biographical subjects will be explored in detail as case studies. The central question considered throughout will be whether biography, in any of its forms, can be considered either as a form of historical enquiry or as a valid historical source.

4530 Forced and Free Migration in Latin America3 credit hours

This course will examine the reasons and consequences of migration in Latin America. It will emphasize the forced migration of Africans and the free migration of Europeans and Japanese to countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba and Peru.

From the late eighteenth to the middle of the twentieth century, Scotland had one of the highest emigration rates in Europe. This seminar course will examine a wide range of literature that discusses Scottish migration to various overseas destinations in order to place the Scottish presence in Nova Scotia in historical context.

During the nineteenth century Ireland had the highest emigration rate in Europe. In order to better understand this phenomenon, this seminar course will focus on the literature that discusses the nature of Irish migration and settlement from the eighteenth to early twentieth centuries. While the course will examine Irish immigrants in their various destinations, it will focus in particular on Irish settlement in North America.

4567 British Colonization3 credit hours

Migrants from the British Isles established settlements in places as far afield as Jamaica, South Africa, New South Wales and Vancouver Island. This course will examine some of the recent literature that touches on such diverse topics as: the encounter with indigenous peoples, the pioneering experience and the formation of colonial settlement identity.

4572 Memories of WW II in China3 credit hours

The memories of the War of Resistance against Japan (1937-45) in China are explored. The focus is on the relationship between history and politics, and collective and individual memories of the war.

4573 The Rise and Fall of the Japanese Empire3 credit hours

Although a product of the same era in global history as other nineteenth- and twentieth-century empires, the Japanese Empire was more subject to distinctly Asian influences. This particular historical experience is explored through an examination of social, intellectual, and cultural concerns alongside the more usual issues involving economics and international relations.

4574 Interdisciplinary Study of Asia3 credit hours

Students explore select topics in East Asian history in an interdisciplinary manner, after which students examine a topic of their own choosing in consultation with the instructor. Student term papers must consider that topic from at least two different disciplinary perspectives, one being the discipline of history.

As with other selected topics courses, the subject matter of these seminars will be announced from time to time. Topics to be examined will be determined by the course instructor. Seminars concentrate on group discussion and the presentation of research papers.

Each reading course will be organized by the instructor(s) involved. In general, each course will be centered round a specific theme, and the students will be expected, through their reading, to be familiar with all aspects of the chosen area. Examinations and/or papers will be required at the end of each course.